Cinematograph camera



June 17, 1947. sTEm 1 2,422,635 I CINEMATOGRAPH CAMERA Original Filed Feb. 20, 193'] 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 17, 1947 CINEMATOGRAPH CAMERA Otto Steiner, Berlin-Spandau. Germany; vested in the Attorney General of the United States Original application February 20, 1937, Serial No.

126,870. Divided and this application December 28, 1938, Serial No. 248,046. In Germany February 22, 1936 Sections 3 and 14, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946.

Patent expires February 22, 1956 Claims.

My invention relates to cinematograph cameras for selective use of exchangeable film magazines, and is a division of my application, Serial No. 126,870, filed February 20, 1937.

An object of my invention is to provide a cinematograph camera which may be used for taking pictures with films of differentswidths, and which allows changing from one to another width by merely exchanging the film magazine.

Another more particular object of my invention is to provide a film camera which is capable of being supplied with a film having one row-of pictures of sub-standard size as well as with a film of double width for taking two rows of pietures.

A further object of my invention is to design the take-up shaft of a film camera in such a way as to prevent overstressing of the film by reliable and space-saving means. An object also is to provide means within the feeding shaft of the camera for preventing an undesired unwinding of the film. More particular objects consist in constructing and arranging the above-mentioned means in such a way as to ensure simplicity and sturdiness and easy handling of the camera mechanism.

According to my invention, a cinematograph camera is provided with different magazines adapted for films of different sizes or of a different number of picture rolls, and the camera, as well as the magazines are designed to allow an exchange of the magazines while using the same fitting and coupling means of the camera.

The advantages of such a camera are selfevident. For producing a film of the sub-standard size, it is possible to alternately employ without any loss of time a film already cut to the substandard size or a film of the double width which is to be cut into two strips of sub-standard size after the exposure or the developing of the film.

According to the invention, further, the magazine and the spool shafts arranged in the camera are designed in such a manner that either a film spool for films ofwider size, or only one of two coaxial spools for films of sub-standard size is coupled with the mechanism of the camera.

The coupling means, provided according to my invention between the camera mechanism and the film spools, are preferably of the resilient type in order to enable the accommodation of magazines containing the spools or the film take-up cores in any relative position of these spools or 001138. Further objects and characteristics of the inr 2 vention will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings are shown some embodiments of my invention in diagrammatic form.

' Fig. 1 shows the total view of a cinematograph camera provided with a magazine according to the invention with open camera cover and magazine partly shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view of the same camera with the magazine viewed from the left-hand side, the magazine cover being partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalv'iew of the film take-up shaft of the camera, illustrated in the preceding figures.

Fig. 3a shows a spring of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, in perspective.

- Fig; 4 shows the film take-up shaft of Fig. 3 in connection with a double magazine containing two films already cut to the sub-standard size.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of the take-up shaft, the shaft being shown in crosssection and in connection with a daylight reel for films of a wider size arranged in a magazine.

Referring, at first to Figs. 1 and 2, the camera and the film magazines are constructed as follows:

c The cinematograph camera is designated by the numeral 20, and its objective by the numeral 23. The camera contains a detachable film magazine 24. The chamber for this magazine is covered by a door-like cover 2| hinged to the camera enclosure at 22. The magazine contains two film spools 4'! and 41, as indicated in Fig. 2. The film 1, coming from'spool 41, is led to the takeup spool 41 so as to pass between a film gate I and a pressure plate 5 holding the film against the gate. 39' designates a feed shaft and 39 a takeup shaft forming parts of the camera. The camera contains a mechanism for actuating'the take-up shaft 39. The mechanism is disposed in the lower part of the camera enclosure with relation to the view shown in Fig. 1. The wall of the magazine 24 forms a recessed part I5, allowing the pressure plate 5 to catch behind the film when inserting the magazine into the magazine chamber of the camera. During the insertion of a magazine, the feeding shaft 39 and the take-up shaft 39 pass through the axle holes of the spools 41 and. In order to limit the lateral clearance of the film I, a plate spring I0 is secured properfplaces. I

and to enter these grooves under the action of the spring I69. 3

It is preferable to provide the spool 41 on both of its flanges with difierent gearings, one of which fits only the teeth III! of the take-up shaft and the other only the teeth of the feed shaft. In this manner, a rotation of the film spool will be effected only at the take-up side,

provided that the spool has been placed in the magazine in the proper position.

Instead of the take-up cores, it is, of course, also possible to employ daylight reels in double magazines for a film of a narrow size. Furthermore, an ordinary magazine of smaller thickness may be provided instead of a double magazine for the narrow film.

The film gate designated by l in Fig. 1 and the film guiding means cooperating with the gate, may be constructed in the known manner, according to which these parts are substituted by a set of different parts when changing from a single-row film to a double-row film. It is,'

however, preferable to construct the film gate and the film guiding means in such a way that they are applicable for all the different films to be used in the camera, and form an integral part of the camera not necessitating exchange when passing from one to another size film. Means of the latter kind are described in my copending application above referred to.

I claim:

1. In a cinematograph camera for the selective use of magazines having spools for single-row films and magazines having double-width spools for double-row films, the combination of take-up drive means comprising a driving shaft arranged so as to pass through the spool of an inserted magazine, a sleeve disposed coaxially on said driving shaft, frictional coupling means operatively interposed between said driving shaft and said sleeve, and coupling means arranged on said sleeve and being resiliently movable relative to said sleeve so as to have the tendency to remain in operative coupling position, said coupling means having a limited axial extent so as to be prevented from establishing a driving connection of said sleeve with more than one of said singlerow film spools at a time.

2. Driving structure of a film camera for the selective use of magazines with spools for singlerow films and magazines with double-width spools for double-row films, comprising in combination a driving shaft arranged so as to pass through the spool of an inserted magazine, a sleeve disposed coaxially on said driving shaft, a torque-limiting transmission element disposed between said shaft and said sleeve, and a radially projecting resilient coupling member arranged on said sleeve for establishing a driving connection between said sleeve and a film spool to Ibe actuated, said coupling member having a limited axial extent so as to engage only one of two single-row film spools when a magazine for two single-row films is placed over said shaft and sleeve.

3. In a cinematograph camera for the selective use of magazines having spools for single-row films and magazines having double-width spools for double-row films, the combination of take-up drive means comprising a driving shaft arranged so as to pass through the spool of an inserted magazine, a sleeve disposed coaxially on said driving shaft, frictional coupling means operatively interposed between said driving shaft and said sleeve, and a spring member for coupling said sleeve with a film spool, said spring member having a circular portion surrounding said sleeve and an axial extension resilient in radial direction and tending to project from said sleeve, said sleeve having a recess engaged by said spring member to hold said member in its proper place, and said extension being arranged to be prevented from coupling said sleeve with more than one of said film spools at a time.

4. In a cinematograph camera for the selective use of magazines having spools for single-row films and magazines having double-width spools for double-row films, the combination of take-up drive means comprising a driving shaft arranged so as to pass through the spool of an inserted magazine, a sleeve disposed coaxially on said driving shaft, frictional coupling means operatively interposed between said driving shaft and said sleeve, and coupling means arranged on said sleeve for establishing a driving connection with a film spool placed over said sleeve, said latter coupling means having a radial projection for engaging said spool and being resiliently movable in the axial direction of said sleeve.

5. In a cinematograph camera for the selective use of magazines having spools for single-row films and magazines having double-width spools for double-row films, the combination of take-upv drive means comprising a driving shaft arranged. so as to pass through the spool of an inserted. magazine, a sleeve disposed coaxially on said driving shaft, frictional coupling means operatively interposed between said driving shaft and said sleeve, a second sleeve surrounding said first sleeve and being non-rotatable but axially displaceable relative to said first sleeve, a coupling element of limited axial extent provided on said second sleeve for engaging a spool to be actuated,

and a spring tending to hold said second sleeve and said element in operative coupling position.

OTTO STEINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

